Headache

[karenann33]

I think the advice about seeing a doctor is really for people who suddenly start getting severe headaches when they never have before (which obviously doesn't apply to you karenann).

People tend to assume that if they've just gone vegan then any new health problems must be related to that whereas obviously there's a slight chance they might coincidentally have developed an unrelated problem (such as a brain infection) at the same time, and brain problems especially need immediate investigation.

Glad you solved the migraine thing, they must be horrible.

Yeah migraines stink but luckily I got mine under control.

The book I read about animal cruelty actually said that headaches were a sign that something was wrong and we shouldn't ignore them. But they suggested too look for more common reasons first (dehydration, tired, or ironically a mild food allergy).

I suffer from depression as well (lucky me) and meds only made it worse. But then I found this book about the link between diet and depression and I cleaned up my act fast. Within 2 weeks my dh said I was a different person!!

I used to eat a lot of junky carbs and drank lots of diet soda's. Now I eat lots of fruit, veggies and whole grains and the results were nothing short of miraculous. Of course the good thing is this made going vegan easy for me since I was already eating pretty well. And the book on how to cure depression said to give up milk as it had been shown to irritate many people and they didn't even realize it until they got off of it.

I'm fascinated with nutrition and it's effect on the body now that I've made these changes.

[cobweb]

well done to you, karenann!

i am reading 'Food is better Medicine than Drugs' and it's really hit the spot with me. I've been trying to steer back onto healthy foods after getting caught up in the vegan junk food/binge cycle for years.
It is fascinating, you are right, i am so enjoying learning about nutrition now, wish i'd done it sooner.

[karenann33]

well done to you, karenann!

i am reading 'Food is better Medicine than Drugs' and it's really hit the spot with me. I've been trying to steer back onto healthy foods after getting caught up in the vegan junk food/binge cycle for years.
It is fascinating, you are right, i am so enjoying learning about nutrition now, wish i'd done it sooner.

Oh that junk food/binge cycle I know a lot about and I wasn't even vegan then. The only way for me to get off that was to give it up 100%. I'm like an alcoholic who can never ever drink. If I start eating junk like chips I can't stop so I can't ever start in the first place. It's a slippery slope. I also know that most of the junk I used to eat had HFCS in it which I've learned causes you to NOT know when you are full. Thats why it's so easy to overindulge until you are miserable and bloated. Refined sugar is also very addictive. Some have said it's as bad as drugs.

What I'm finding interesting about being vegan is that I can have 1/2 cup of soy ice cream a day and it causes no binge urges in me whereas real ice cream did (of course I'm putting it on top of 1 cup of strawberries and 1 banana so it's like a HUGE treat for me). The soy ice cream also doesn't have HFCS or refined sugar in it. I also eat frequently (every 2-3 hours) and that helps and it's big plates of food (veggies, fruit, beans and rice). I do it to keep my blood sugar level so I'm never tempted to binge.

[cobweb]

when i said the 'vegan junk food' bit i didn't mean it was atall related to veganism, just that i, personally, have eaten a lot junk food that happens to be vegan, if you see what i mean!

you are right, it is a vicious cycle and one i fully intend to break free from. Sound like you are doing much the same as i aiming for - eating lots and lots of food, but making sure that most of it is natural and healthy stuff.

[karenann33]

when i said the 'vegan junk food' bit i didn't mean it was atall related to veganism, just that i, personally, have eaten a lot junk food that happens to be vegan, if you see what i mean!

you are right, it is a vicious cycle and one i fully intend to break free from. Sound like you are doing much the same as i aiming for - eating lots and lots of food, but making sure that most of it is natural and healthy stuff.

Yes I got it. There is plenty of vegan junk food for sure. I could binge on that as easily as the non-vegan stuff. It's still feels weird to me to be able to eat so much but I'm counting calories so I know I'm right where I need to be. My husband always complains of being hungry while trying to lose weight but he eats too much junk so of course his calories don't go very far. He hates most fruits and just barely tolerates vegetables. I keep telling him hello you are missing 2 complete food groups. LOL!!

[treehugga]

This sounds the most logical. I've had migraines for over 10 years and have seen 100's of dr's all of them telling me it was all in my head (no pun intended) so seeing a dr now is not at the top of my list. How I cured my migraines was with chiropractors, therapy to learn how to cope with stress, diet and exercise. All dr's did was give me enough meds to knock me out for 24 hours.

I would love meds to knock me out when I have a migraine - the relief would be heaven

[Tallulah]

I have had an almost constant headache since becoming a strict vegan a week ago (from vegetarian). Any ideas why that might be? I'm at a loss!

[Prawnil]

I reckon the short answer is: almost anything. Quite a few people bring up 'symptoms' of the vegan transition, but I'm totally unconvinced that this isn't more or less psychosomatic, or mis-association of symptoms to the recent lifestyle change. Of course, if it's severe & doesn't go away, seeing a doctor'd be clever. I'm a case in point of headaches being secondary to something totally unrelated to vegan living.

[Tallulah]

Thanks for the advice . They aren't severe headaches, just the naggy, achy ones at my forehead.I just have noticed that they began daily in the last week. Who knows-maybe its the weather! ;-)

[Tigerlily]

Are you eating enough and at regular times?

[Tallulah]

I think I'm eating enough, but not always at regular intervals. That could have something to do with it. I just wake up with a headache every day :-(.

[harpy]

You haven't cut out anything containing caffeine, such as coffee or chocolate*, at the same time as going vegan, have you, Tallulah? That would probably trigger withdrawal headaches

*which may contain a caffeine-like substance rather than actual caffeine

[Tallulah]

Yes, I've given up caffeine, but I never drank much to begin with. I actually had some caffeine today to test that theory, but still have my annoying headache.I used to drink coffee, but never ate chocolate.

[burl]

Most headaches are caused by dehydration. Water and salt, electrolytes. Drink water when you get a headache and see if that helps.

[Tallulah]

Thanks for the advice all! Burl, I drink water all day long-and that's all I drink. (And I'm still always thirsty too!)

[Risker]

All day long? how much water?

If you're drinking a lot of water and are still thirsty I would see a doctor.

[harpy]

Some people say they get headaches when they go vegan because they are "detoxing", although I haven't yet seen an adequate explanation of why that should happen. Another idea is that some substances like (I think it was) casein in cheese may be slightly addictive, so that people may get withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating them.

Either way I think the headaches usually pass fairly quickly but as has been said if they don't, or if you're worried about them, it would be sensible to see a doctor. Actually if you're always thirsty despite drinking a lot of water it would probably be advisable to see one anyway, because that can be a symptom of a problem that needs medical attention.

ETA sorry, posted without reading Risker's latest

[Tallulah]

I drink about about 7-8 17 ounce bottles of water a day. And I don't eat a lot of salt. I try to flavor my food with other spices and fresh hot sauce. I love spicy food!

[Tallulah]

Thanks Harpy! I must say I was a cheese addict-I ate cheese every day, on just about everything. I don't even want to try the "fake" cheese now. I'm fine without. But I could definitely understand if I am having some sort of withdrawal from cheese. I hadn't thought about that. If the headaches and thirstiness continue, I will see a doctor.

[DavidT]

But I could definitely understand if I am having some sort of withdrawal from cheese.

That would be interesting, to say the least. We need to know. I'm going to risk an idea here, one that some posters will attack (and whom I will ignore) but here goes:

I'd hate to say, 'go back to being just vegetarian' as an experiment but, if the headaches don't clear up, that has to be considered as the (short-term) "cure". Don't flame me for merely exploring possibilities - we need to know the cause of any adverse effects encountered when turning vegan, it's ammunition for all of us. If it turns out that cheese is that you're addicted to, you should then up cheese very, very slowly, just as you would give up coffee extremely slowly, so as to avoid the headaches. If it makes no difference, then Tallulah is only a few days late in becoming vegan.

I know some people on here will absolutely hate me for suggesting it but, as Tallulah is such a very recent convert to veganism and is obviously determined to join us on that road, he/she should definitely consider the idea in the absence of other ideas being effective; it would only be a temporary measure. No-one wants headaches and we most emphatically don't want people being put off veganism because of them.

<awaits storm>

If Tallulah persists with tolerating the headaches, then that's up to her/him. All I offer is a single possibility and we cannot know all the circumstances. It could be totally unrelated to veganism, simply coincidence.

FWIW, my experience with doctors is that they're often so blinded by and in hock to the pharma industries that they cannot often see the simple human side of illness; I mistrust them as a consequence.

[Blue moon]

No idea how much water that is you're drinking, but could it be you're actually not getting enough salt? Especially if you sweat alot because of exercise or whatever. Foods you're likely to have cut out like cheese or processed foods contain alot of salt, so you might have reduced your intake alot without really realising.

Another thing that's often overlooked is eye strain which causes so many headaches. Always worth getting an eye test if you're having headaches, even if they've started quite recently.

Hope you get rid of them whatever the cause!

[Tallulah]

Thanks so much bluemoon! It could very well be not enough salt, or at least the drastic reduction in my salt intake. I think I get enough salt, just not the huge amount I ingested before. I'm goin to see if my body adjusts, and if not, will make the dreaded trip to the doctor

[Tallulah]

Thank you for the suggestions DavidT. I appreciate your thoughts and input on this issue. But, I can't bear to go back to vegetarianism. I don't trust doctors either-they know nothing about proper nutrition, among other things.

[Gwydion]

I don't trust doctors either-they know nothing about proper nutrition, among other things.

After a visit to mine this morning, can second that! Sheeesh, amazing. Dude was clueless

Good luck Tallulah, glad to see you didn't fall for DavidT's little newbie test there.

(I joke)

[harpy]

It's true that a lot of doctors don't seem to know much about nutrition, but if you went to a doctor about headaches or thirst you wouldn't need to get into a discussion about nutrition with them, or even necessarily mention that you're vegan. They could just run some tests to rule out problems like diabetes, which can be associated with unexplained thirst.

[DavidT]

Good luck Tallulah, glad to see you didn't fall for DavidT's little newbie test there.

(I joke)

Thinking a bit more about it, 'going back to' vegetarianism would be not much different to the way the OH and I went vegan - gradually, more and more meals were introduced that were vegan, some at first through accident, some deliberate, most initially without any thought about veganism whatsoever, just whatever we had in that we fancied. We were still technically vegetarians for a long time, cooking some meals that happened to contain no animal ingredients; we did still utilise animal products but, fortunately, fewer and fewer as time went by.

There were no headaches, I'm glad to say!

[Tallulah]

Glad no headaches for you DavidT!

I get crap for it sometimes, but I don't tend to do things gradually-once I make up my mind, I'm in all the way-and immediately! Lol.

[Back-Space]

I'm still relatively new to veganism, and I've been experiencing some headaches. Not every day, maybe twice a week. I'm not sure if work has anything to do with it since I have to wear ear plugs all day and pay very close attention to what I'm doing. Is it possible I'm missing out on a nutrient that I need that would cause a headache? I keep worrying that I'm under prepared for this. My diet mostly consists of water(only liquid) a variety of nuts(almonds for calcium, cashews and peanuts for snacks, and walnuts for protein) whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce, oatmeal, garden salads, bananas, oranges, corn, green beans, and carrots. I'm willing to expand my diet if there's any suggestions. I also take a B12 supplement, and will take others if need be. Any ideas and suggestions are appreciated

[RubyDuby]

I had horrible headaches for about a week when I first went vegetarian, but not vegan. Not sure if it was related.

If you're worried about nutrition you can always take a multi-vitamin and use the vegan food pyramid as a guide.

[Zanahorias!]

Could be that your body is doing a little detoxifying, which can most certainly cause headaches. To help this along be sure to drink plenty of water (which it sounds like you do) and let yourself rest up!

[Back-Space]

Lol, my bad... Sorry Korn. I think that's two or three times my posts have been moved.

I think I could use with a bit more fat in my diet, and some dairy substitutes And yes, I drink lots of water, but I could use with some sleep. I've been getting around 6 hours a night for the last week which sucks because I usually enjoy 8 hours Feeling fine today though

[rroseselavy]

Magnesium rich foods and when I'm overworked and overtired a magnesium supplement really help with my migraines. I must admit that your diet does seem to lack balance and protein. Do you add lentils or tofu to your pasta sauce?

[Back-Space]

Magnesium rich foods and when I'm overworked and overtired a magnesium supplement really help with my migraines. I must admit that your diet does seem to lack balance and protein. Do you add lentils or tofu to your pasta sauce?

Not yet. I bought tofu but I've been kind of reluctant to try it I bought some mixed vegetables and broccoli today which I'm going to add to a pasta tonight. I also picked up some rice, so with a little research I'll find some good recipes for that too

[RubyDuby]

tofu is good on pizza
It's really just cheese made from soy milk after all.

[Back-Space]

tofu is good on pizza
It's really just cheese made from soy milk after all.

Lol, I'll have to try that I was just asking in another thread what would go good ontop of a pizza

[RubyDuby]

Yeah, I know.

[kanopa]

I have terrible headaches, sometimes they last a few days. I went to see a docto and she told me to write a headache diary, but who can write a headache diary when a migraine is so strong that you can't even think? My mum says that I can get headaches if I don't eat enough, but I am overwheight, I eat enough. I was also told that when you have a headache you can't wait for it to go away and that you must take painkillers. But I have them so often, that I am surprised how my liver is still functioning. I hate migraines.

[harpy]

Hi, sorry to hear about the headaches, kanopa - I have had them a lot at times, though I have never had a migraine I don't think.

I believe the idea of a "headache diary" is to identify if there are triggers for the headache, such as particular foods. So perhaps you could try just keeping a note of everything you eat for a few days, then you can see if there's an association between what you ate (or didn't eat) and when the headaches came. There may be other possible triggers that you could keep a note of, such as how long you slept or whether you felt stressed, and maybe when you last took painkillers (if you take them).

You wouldn't have to write a lot when you actually had the headache - just maybe put a cross to show when it started, which you could do afterwards of course.

[DavidT]

Yeah, that sounds awful, kanopa. I've known people who get migraine and it's made them sometimes wish they were dead, it can be that bad. I've never suffered from it but my heart goes out to you.

Yes you can get headaches if you don't eat enough - not sure about migraine, though, that's something different. I get short tempered when I'm hungry!

harpy's suggestion of a food diary is good as it could be something like a combination of foods rather than a single food that triggers it (if, indeed, the migraine is food-related). It does no harm, anyway, to keep the diary - indeed, you need a list of possible causes and to deal with each one separately. Get one of those day-to-day ones, with times printed in, so you can just put a cross when you feel anything coming on.

Good luck and keep your spirits up.

[kanopa]

Do you believe that chocolate could be a trigger? The same doctor who said I had migraine recommended me avoid coffee, black or green tea with caffeine and chocolate.
Last summer, I have spent two weeks on a farm in France. I didn't eat any tropical fruits like oranges, satsumas, bananas or peaches there. I had only one headache in those two weeks and it was on Saturday, when I went to a bigger city, so I blamed car fumes. I have realized that maybe pesticides can also be a trigger? The farm I went to was organic, so all the vegetables we ate there were clean and local, at home we also have a little garden, so we don't buy any vegetables we can grow ourselves, but since I have arrived to England, I have a headache every other day..

[harpy]

Chocolate is quite a common trigger I think. You might find out if that was a factor by keeping the diary. Not sure about pesticides, maybe you could try only having organic stuff for a few days and see if it helps?

Stress can be a trigger as well of course, so that could be an alternative explanation for having fewer headaches when you were in the country.

[treehugga]

I have chronic migraine - about 3 a week. Had them all my life...so many triggers - too many to mention. A friend of mine who was quite badly affected by headaches & migraines stopped eating anything from the nightshade family i.e potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, capsicum and chilli and has been fine for years now. Hard for vegans to do though but might be worth trying to eliminate from your diet just for a couple of weeks and see if there is a difference. Soy has also been noted to affect some people!